What is it with authors and lists, rankings and stats? Is it me, or is it normal to want to know not only how many books you’ve sold, but how high you are on a list–any list?

Take the Most Popular Author list on AuthorsdB for example. I’m mighty proud to be high ranking there–number two currently–and now feel compelled to check each day to see if I’ve moved from that spot. Secretly wishing to become number One! 🙂 No idea how I got there, or how to stay this high other than write more books and publish them. Let the world know where they can find me, and my books.

I think, and hope, that it means people finally get to recognise my name. That I am indeed becoming a ‘brand’. It doesn’t award me with anything other than the honour of a badge, of which I’m very proud, but it also burdens me with another stat/ranking to check.

Enter the question, “Is it me, or do all authors suffer from this minor streak of OCD?”

Mind you, I’m not bothered by it at all. I quite like checking my stats, you know, blog, site, Amazon Ranking, but most of all the Most Popular Author list. Because let’s face it, it does have a ring to it. “I am the second most popular author on AuthorsdB.”

Right, you, as a fellow indie author might think, “Not another social media site to keep up!” But I can assure you it is no trouble at all. Get yourself listed and just update your details when necessary. There’s no chatroom, blog post, twitterings or whatever to be done. Unless of course you want to rise in the ranks and be noticed. 🙂 For that you have to share. And sharing means, use twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and whatnot to get your profile seen and liked. But the site itself requires nothing more than a listing and keeping your details up-to-date.

I’m listed on AuthorsdB, and with me lots of other authors. Emphasis on listed. To us indies lists are important and the lists on AuthorsdB are especially dear to me. 🙂

Why? I like to think it’s because I’m a writer of good books, but I am momentarily listed as #32 on their favourite authors list. With every like others award me with on their site I am rising in the ranks of indies until finally I can call myself number One.

And there you have the reason unveiled why lists like these are important to us indies. Who wouldn’t want to be able to say they are high on the list when advertising their books. Let’s be honest, when you have to choose between two books. One from an author who’s absolutely unknown and on no list at all, and the second from an author, maybe also not known worldwide but verifiable high on an author ranking list, which one would you pick?

For that reason alone, and the fact that AuthorsdB offers this service for free to all indie authors I think all indies should at least be listed on this site. That way future readers have a reasonable complete list of authors to pick and choose from when buying a new book, or looking for that one author they’ve heard of but can’t recall their name.

And when you’ve liked me, why not cast your vote on my covers? At the moment the 2013 Cover Contest is up and running. Voting is done by clicking the green arrow next to ‘image rating’ and awarding the stars you think the cover deserves.

Lucy Pireel’s collection of short stories “Red Gone Bad,” is an interesting read! She turned common fairytales of Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin into dark, twisted tales. It was unusual yet enjoyable! There were indeed surprises where these familiar sweet characters turned out to be tougher, spunkier, and even naughtier than what we grew up with.

I recommend “Red Gone Bad”; you will have your mind blown and your perspective skewed. It is a great, entertaining collection of short stories. Lucy has shown her creativity as top-notch. These tales will hold your attention, and you will never view these characters in the same old way again!

My dear friend Gerry McCullough asked me to join her in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. She has a great book out, Angel in Flight which you could check out and perhaps even buy.

Thank you Gerry for this opportunity to shed a little light on my first ever self-published collection of short stories. A collection of twisted fairy tales without a happy ending in sight. Red Gone Bad available on Amazon and Smashwords only one more week on sale for $0.99. Get it while it’s still available cheap.

I also must thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about my next to be published project.

What is the (working title) of your book?

I’m always struggling to find the right title. This time was no different. It’s been Angels From Heaven, Angels or Demons and now it is Heaven’s Closed.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I had two shorts with a theme, Angelic characters who could have easily been demons, or not. I have a thing with characters not being what they are supposed to be, or maybe they are. layer upon layer. Ogres are like unions, my characters are like ogres, Erm, I mean unions. Hahaha, unless you are perceptive and know how to read between the lines. Or maybe I’m just really all over the place. Or maybe I like characters who do not always behave the way they should or change when they need to.

What genre does your book fall under?

Fiction? Hahaha, I know that is not a genre. Shoot, why does that question always pops up? I have no idea. Fantasy? What with the angels, demons, witches and all.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

As always Helena Bonham-Carter for any female role. Love how she is able to play crazy mad as well as classical. My angels should be … Hmmm, not too slick and certainly not those fabricated, unreal Hollywood types. Maybe Vinnie Jones? Jason Statham? Okay, Lorry, just for you Karl Urban can play too. Hahahaha, at least I’ll be sure one person will come and see the movie adaptation that way.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

What if not all is what it seems and Angels could be demons, or even regular humans?

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am again very proud to say that this double dip (it will be a small thingy consisting of only two short stories and free for all) will be completely self-published. Cover done by me this time too. Any and all comments made to improve said cover are more than welcome by the by.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Oh, I don’t know. A week? Two? Not too long in any case.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

That’s a question I really have no answer too, because I tend not to read much stories like these. My reading is all over the place and not limited to any one genre, but I haven’t read anything like my own work yet. And I have a dislike, to say the least, of Young Adult and Dystopian.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The one called Heaven’s Gate was written by me as entry to a contest. Won it too, Whoop! Hahahaha, but since I hold the rights to it I am free to now publish it in this little book of mine. The other was meant to be submitted to a publisher. To fit into an end of year anthology. They loved it but it didn’t quite fit in with what they had already accepted. So I was left with a perfect story that needed to be out there before end of year. What solution did I come up with? Give it to Sue at Book Junkies Journal to put on their site. Again I still hold all rights and can publish it in this book.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Hey! It’s free and one won a contest while the other only got rejected because of not fitting in with the other accepted stories for an anthology. Besides I like them and whomever wants bite sized reads for free might like them too.

Anyway, enough about me. Let me introduce to you some friends of mine who have great books out and will be talking to you about those in a weeks time. But for now I can at least steer you towards their blogs and ask you to take a look at their books. Shoot, you might even like them so much you’ll buy and give some away for Christmas.